School board cuts $100k from proposal

Thursday, February 2, 2012

WILTON – The board of the Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District has cut $100,000 from the 2012-13 budget proposed by the administration. The new budget figure, which does not include any reductions in staff, totals $11,607,813.

The board will defend that figure at the Budget Committee’s public hearing on Feb. 8.

At the same meeting, the board will hold a separate hearing on changes to the district’s Articles of Agreement. A warrant article asks that the Budget Committee become an advisory board, not one that creates the budget as it does now. The role of the Budget Committee was discussed at length last year.

On Jan. 25, the proposed budget was discussed line-by-line. Reductions were made by postponing purchases or programs, projecting increases closer to the actual amount spent last year, or projecting legal and special education costs.

The first reduction total reached was about $73,000, but the board then voted to make it an even $100,000, leaving the administration to decide where cuts could be made.

Other proposed warrant articles include:

Extending the kindergarten program in Lyndeborough to a full-day program at a projected cost of about $125,000

Establishing the district-wide position of facilities supervisor.

Reserving $77,000 for improvements at Florence Rideout Elementary School.

Adding $50,000 to the special education capital reserve fund, money to come from an unexpended fund balance.

Adding $5,000 to the technology capital reserve fund, money to come from unreserved fund balance.

The district meeting will be held Friday, March 9, 7 p.m., at the high school.